By The PA. AFL-CIO

– Amid all the talk about the Government shutdown, it is all too often lost in the discussion that this is, at its core, a LOCK-OUT that has forced 800,000 workers off the job indefinitely. Many thousands more are being forced to work WITHOUT PAY until the lock-out is over.

Call Your Member Of Congress Now!

– Go to: http://act.aflcio.org/c/236/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=7237 To Call Your Member Of Congress Now!

Last week locked-out Federal employees held a rally in front of the US Capitol, joined by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, along with AFGE, NTEU, AFT, APWU, AFSCME, CWA and SEIU.

“Federal employees want to go to work, they want to serve the American public, but they are being locked out of their jobs due to this government shutdown;” said AFGE President J. David Cox. “We are calling on Congress to stop the lockout and allow federal employees to go back to work.”

This Government shutdown and the lock-out of 800,000 workers could end today, if Speaker Boehner would simply allow the House to vote on a clean continuing resolution. The Senate Democrats have already made huge compromises by accepting the Republican spending levels in the CR that they passed.

Show solidarity with our locked-out Federal workers, and with those who rallied in DC last week, by contacting your Representative in Congress and telling them to end this stalemate now.

Again, Please Call Your Congressional Office Now! Tell Your Rep. Directly That It’s Time To End The Shutdown!

– To Call Your Congressional Office NOW, Go To: http://act.aflcio.org/c/236/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=7237

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=2887

Dear Governor Corbett,

“Please sir, whatever you do, don’t stop talking because everything you say shows your true colors”!

“There’s simply no foot too big for that mouth”

Sincerely,

Your Friends in The Labor Movement!

By The Philly Public Record

– A motion picture showing many construction violations have been passed over by the City’s Dept. of Licenses & Inspections at the Post Brothers’ Goldtex Apartments, 12th & Wood Streets, was released yesterday to a huge audience of labor and political leaders and building-industry safety specialists.

Launched at IBEW Local 98, the film was titled Deconstructing Post Brothers: Exposing the Truth Behind the Cheap Façade.

The documentary exposes the economic abuse Post Brothers is heaping on its workers by paying them sub-standard wages with no benefits and knowingly misclassifying them as “1099″ workers —independent contractors — to avoid paying federal income and payroll taxes, as well as Workers Compensation, Unemployment Compensation and other city, state and federal taxes.

The documentary is being sent to city, state and federal elected officials and available to others involved in the financing of the Goldtex Apartments.

Post Brothers’ principals Michael and Matthew Pestronk appear in the documentary to have the support of the Nutter Administration, charging L&I inspectors allowed Post Brothers to operate at the Goldtex site for an entire year without any permits and with no inspections performed.

Source – http://www.phillyrecord.com/2013/10/labor-documentary-exposes-goldtex-project/

By The Philly Public Record

– The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 5, 2013 General Municipal Election is Monday, Oct. 7, 2013. We need everyone’s assistance in Philadelphia to spread this word.

The Philadelphia City Commissioners have just completed a new website “Philadelphiavotes.com” where Philadelphians can get valuable information about local politics and elections.

It is time to break the bad habit that over 850,000 of our fellow Philadelphians displayed when they did not come out and vote in the Primary in May. “When Philadelphia votes in every election, elected officials pay attention,” Commissioner Stephanie Singer reminds us.

Source: http://www.phillyrecord.com/2013/10/register-to-vote-deadline-is-this-coming-monday-oct-7/

PHILLYLABOR.COM EDITORIAL: Attention: Philadelphia Area Union Members/Families, As per above, please get the word out to all of our fellow Philadelphia area union brothers, sisters and families that the deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 5, 2013 General Municipal Election is this coming Monday Oct. 7.

Please remember that the only thing standing in the way of right wing politicians passing anti-union legislation that will put us out of business is our collective ability to vote for and elect pro-union political candidates that support our union values and rights! Our vote is our life line!!!

By PhillyLabor.com

– Too many times people pass by a job site and see our old friend “Scabby The Rat” sitting out front accompanied by union workers picketing/demonstrating and holding signs and they automatically create a stereotype that the union members are making a spectacle or bullying an innocent employer.

Usually the general public responds in one of two ways to these types of scenarios: 1) they honk in support or 2) they yell obscenities or even insults at the union workers as if they are doing something wrong. The thing is that many people, who do not understand unions, make rash judgements without really knowing the full grasp of the situation. They just see the big rat and they react.

Having said that, it’s important for everyone to realize that, although not pretty, “Scabby The Rat” actually serves a deeper and bigger purpose than just creating a scene or a negative connotation. It is often a symbol that workers rights, standards and/or wages are being violated and, as shocking as it may appear, the public needs to be brought to attention and has a right to know about potential abuses that are going on in their community!

Thus, the next time you pass by a job site or establishment where there is a picket line or demonstration of this nature going on, there are 5 things you should consider when you see Scabby the Rat in the vicinity:

1) “Scabby the Rat” Appears at a location “ONLY” as a last resort after a true effort has been made by union representatives to negotiate a fair deal in good faith.

2) Many times there is a predatory employer taking advantage of and/or paying non-union employees sub standard wages on that job site

3) Often the wages paid out by predatory employers to their non-union workers on these job sites are so low that the workers themselves can not even afford to live in the community or city for which they are working.

4) The non-union workers, who are often working for less on these job sites, are also lowering and jeopardizing area working standards and conditions .

5) The union men and women who are walking the picket line and demonstrating next to Scabby are “NOT THUGS”. They are good, hard working, decent people who are simply standing up for workers rights and fair wages and standards that have been earned by generations of working men and women. THEY DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT, RESPECT AND ENCOURAGEMENT because they are not just out there for themselves, they are out there for all middle class Americans who deserve a fair shot at the American Dream!